Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 09:27:52 -0500
From: "Anne Ross (SCFN)" <ross@SCFN.THPL.LIB.FL.US>
Subject: Public Library Periodical Question(s)

The Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System is examining
ways to move the periodicals collection at our main library from a
closed stack area on a non-public floor to a public floor with open
access.

It's a big change for us and we're taking our time to try and do
this right (and only do it once!).  One of our steps, of course, is
to talk to people at other libraries who have gone through this
change and/or have always had a major collection of periodicals in
a public, open access area.

We have a number of questions about shelving, access, space, and
general policy.

If you're with a public library (and, even better, a large urban
library system) where the main library's periodical collection is
in a public area please reply to me (ross@scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us) so
I can call or email you with some questions.

If there is enough interest, I'll be glad to summarize the
responses for the list.

We are particularly interested in knowing how you shelve your
materials:

     Are the current and back issues together, are they
     interfiled with books in dewey order or in a separate area.

     If they are in a separate area - do you have a separate
     security system, a separate reference desk, etc. etc.

We'd also like to know what constitutes your periodicals area:

     Are materials checked in right there or someplace else?

     Does your periodicals area have a separate staff?

     Does it include microfilm/microfiche products as well as
     the cd-rom indexes?

     Are there Photocopiers and reader/printers and computers in
     that same area?

And, of course, we're looking for any general advice you might have
based on your experience with such a process such as do you still
keep certain high-demand titles at a reference desk, do you
position the equipment in specific ways to give you certain
sightlines,etc. etc.

My advance thanks for your help.

___________________________________________________________________
Anne Ross, Head
Fine Arts/Av/Youth Services
Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System

ross@scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us
(813)273-3624
(813)273-3655 (fax)
___________________________________________________________________